Attacks on this boat and other events

10 Sep 1941After sinking the British freighter Thistleglen from convoy SC 42 the boat suffered such severe damage from attacks by the escorts that she was forced to return to France. (Sources: Blair, vol 1, page 361)

1 recorded attack on this boat.

General notes on this boat

14 Apr 1942. U-85 was the first U-boat to be sunk off the North American coast after the start of Operation Drumbeat (Paukenschlag) on 13 January 1942.

On the day that she was sunk, 14 April, U-85 stayed on the surface throughout the engagement. After repeated hits on the boat fatally damaged her, the order to abandon ship was given, and perhaps half the crew got into the water before U-85 started to go down fast. USS Roper then dropped 11 depth charges onto the already sinking U-boat and the two dozen or so survivors, and in the process killed everyone in the water.

The wreck is now a popular dive site.

Men lost from U-boats

Unlike many other U-boats, which during their service lost men due to accidents and various other causes, U-85 did not suffer any casualties (we know of) until the time of her loss.

U-boat Emblems

We have 1 emblem entry for this boat. See the emblem page for this boat or view emblems individually below.

There was another U-85 in World War OneThat boat was launched from its shipyard on 22 Aug 1916 and commissioned into the Imperial Navy on 23 Oct 1916. The Naval war in WWI was brought to an end with the Armistice signed on 11 Nov, 1918. Read about SM U 85 during WWI.